Ocala, Fla. — COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 are now available at the Florida Department of Health in Marion County.

Parents, guardians, or caregivers who are interested in obtaining a vaccination for their children can make an appointment now. Vaccinations for those under 12 will begin on Nov. 15. 

The department provides COVID-19 vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds by appointment, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its main office, 1801 SE 32nd Ave., Ocala. To make a vaccination appointment, go to tinyurl.com/MakeMarionFLVaxAppt. The vaccine is available for free. 

The department encourages those with questions about vaccines for children under 12 to consult with their health care provider.

“We are pleased to make this vital service available to our community,” said department Administrator Mark Lander. “Our positivity rate remains relatively low, and so we encourage people to continue to take appropriate steps to avoid infection, including obtaining a vaccine, if you have not already received one.”

The Department of Health in Marion County is making available doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the 5-11 age group. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved other manufacturers’ vaccines for children.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pfizer vaccine for children under 12 has the same active ingredients as the vaccine given to adults and adolescents, but the dose for 5- to 11-year-olds is only one-third the amount in the adult vaccine. The vaccine also is administered with smaller needles designed specifically for children.

Additionally, vaccines remain available for people 12 and older at the Department of Health in Marion County and throughout Marion County at many pharmacies, doctor’s offices, clinics and health centers. Visit floridahealthcovid19.gov/vaccines/vaccine-locator to learn more about vaccine locations.

For more information, call the Department of Health in Marion County at 352-644-2590.

Find out more

Visit marion.floridahealth.gov,marionflcovid.org and twitter.com/flhealthmarion for the latest information on COVID-19 and vaccinations. Visit floridahealthcovid19.gov and use the Vaccine Locator and Testing Sites tools to find vaccination and testing sites near you.